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5 Ways to Protect Yourself From A Stroke

There are several easy, common-sense ways to prevent a stroke and improve your overall health.

Quitting smoking, eating a healthy diet, and exercising are great ways to reduce your risk of stroke.

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Some risk factors for stroke, including your age and family history, can't be changed.

But there are still many steps you can take to prevent stroke, including getting enough exercise, maintaining a healthy diet, and keeping other risk factors under control.

1. Get Regular Exercise

Not getting enough exercise is associated with a wide range of health problems, including stroke.

Exercise may help prevent stroke by helping to reduce other risk factors, including high blood pressure and obesity.

In their latest stroke prevention guidelines, the American Heart Association (AHA) and American Stroke Association recommended that healthy adults get at least 40 minutes of moderate to vigorous aerobic exercise 3 to 4 days a week.

"Moderate to vigorous intensity" means you should be breathing hard and your heart rate should be elevated. (1)

2. Eat a Healthy Diet

Being overweight or obese, eating too much salt, and eating too little potassium can drive up blood pressure.

Table salt is not the biggest contributor to salt in the diet. The majority of salt in the American diet comes from breads, meats, sandwiches, soups, and other processed and packaged foods.

The American Heart Association and American Stroke Association recommend adopting a diet that's high in potassium-rich fruits and vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy products, and reduced saturated fat to help prevent stroke.

The AHA recommends Americans consume no more than 2,300 milligrams of sodium per day, but the ideal limit is 1,500 mg per day for most adults. (2)

Having your blood pressure checked at least once a year can help you manage your risk for stroke. (4)

4. Reduce High Cholesterol

Many scientific studies have found high total cholesterol to be a risk factor for stroke.

In addition to adopting healthy eating habits that emphasize fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean meats, cholesterol-lowering drugs called statins may be prescribed to help reduce your risk of clogged arteries.

If you have high cholesterol, talk to your doctor about whether statins are right for you. (5)

5. Quit Smoking

Smoking cigarettes can double your risk of stroke.

If you are a smoker, quitting smoking (even if you have been smoking for a long time) can go a long way in helping to reduce your stroke risk.

Other Medicines Used to Prevent Stroke

In addition to taking medication that helps to lower high blood pressure and control cholesterol levels, people at high risk of stroke may be advised to take anticoagulant medicines, such as warfarin, or an antiplatelet medicine, such as aspirin, to help prevent stroke-causing blood clots from forming.

Talk to your doctor about drugs that might help you avoid a stroke. (6)

Additional reporting by Ashley Welch.

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